News

08March2018

Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire businesses hear from D2N2 and Sheffield City Region Growth Hubs

Business experts from Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire united for a joint event to help small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) access support, grow, and thrive, held today (March 8).

D2N2 Growth Hub and Sheffield City Region Growth Hub worked together to stage the ‘Best of Both Hubs’ event today, at the Proact Stadium in Chesterfield. It was specifically aimed at Small and medium-sized enterprises based in Derbyshire Dales, Chesterfield, North East Derbyshire, Bolsover or Bassetlaw and looked to help them gain an insight into the support available to help them achieve success.

The D2N2 Growth Hub is part of the wider D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), a private-sector-led organisation which works with its areas businesses, local authorities, skills and training providers and community and voluntary organisations to stimulate and grow the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire economy.

Growth Hubs advise SMEs who are looking to grow, on a wide variety of opportunities. These include University support to develop new products and improve productivity, coaching and mentoring schemes to assist businesses to ‘scale up’ their operations, funding and investment streams for business growth, assistance to reach new markets and customers in the UK and overseas and recruitment, retention and skills programmes.

Today’s event was part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). This is part of a wider set of European Funds which together make up the European Structural and Investment Funds, which are designed to help businesses, people and the rural economy. D2N2 currently has an ESIF allocation of €250million.

Delegates also heard from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) on the current threats to businesses and how they can protect systems, staff and customers from cyber crime.

Other features from today’s conference included:

A choice of workshops that address business challenges including skills, scaling up, reaching new markets and improving competitiveness

A real example from Mike Lloyd, Director at CEM Solutions on how working across both Growth Hubs can benefit business,and

Opportunities to meet with Growth Hub advisers, make new connections with other local businesses and enjoy a networking lunch.

Workshop speakers included:

Richard Kirkland of D2N2 LEP (pictured) on Employment and Skills for Growth, covering how to recruit the right staff and developing employees’ skills for improved productivity and growth.

Darren Buxton of Sheffield City Region Growth Hub and Lynn Oxborrow of Nottingham Trent University on scaling-up your business and help available to achieve full potential.

Sharon McCarthy of the Department for International Trade on Exporting for Growth and how a team of local experts is available to help with those first crucial steps into overseas markets.

Antony Davies, Innovation expert at Marmotte Consulting and board member of Sheffield City Region Innovation Centre of Expertise, along with Angela Tooley, Head of Enscite, University of Derby, on Growth through Innovation and how local universities can help firms improve productivity to drive innovation, growth and competitiveness.

For more information on the D2N2 Growth Hub and to find out how it can help your business to grow, visit www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk